Pushed
by movieholic
Summary: Elliot Stabler is paired with a rookie for a case, what can go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

My first L&O: SVU story so please don't kill me! R&R PLEASE, be honest but not cruel. I love Elliot Stabler (Christoper Meloni) so here's one for him.

Warning: Mild violence

A little EO, I'm a shipper but this isn't solely for _both_ of them. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or anything else (I do own Caine, I made him up)! They all belong to Dick Wolf, a very smart man. Love ya!

* * *

_Stabler Residence_

A high-pitched scream pierced the air, followed by a loud chuckle and children's laughter. Elliot Stabler playfully tapped his daughter Elizabeth on the shoulder and shouted "I win!" as he moved his playing piece once more. She growled and pouted as Dickie snorted from laughter.

"Dickie, did you just snort?" asked Elliot, pretending to be serious.

"No, I didn't." Dickie responded, hiding a smile.

"You're lyin' little man!" Elliot shouted before flipping Dickie on his back and tickling him all over his stomach. Dickie squealed with laughter and snorted again.

"Oh!" Elliot grunted and laughed as he continued to tickle his son.

"El, stop, you're going to make him wet himself on our couch." Kathy protested, although she was laughing too.

"Dickie's a big boy, ain't ya Dickie? And big boys don't pee themselves."

"I'm a big boy mom, I am!" shouted Dickie, before being hushed by his father good-naturedly.

"See Kathy? Told you so." Elliot stuck his tongue out at Kathy before he picked up Dickie and slung him over his shoulder easily.

"Time for bed guys."

"Awww, come on dad… do we gotta?" asked Elizabeth and Dickie in unison.

Elliot did a double take and laughed.

"I'm tellin' ya Kathy, the twins pick out their words before hand and time out when they're going to say it so that they say it together… that or it's ESP." Elliot said, in mock curiosity.

Kathy threw a pillow from the couch at him as he walked out of the room backwards laughing in amusement, this time with both children over his shoulders.

* * *

_The House_

"Alright, okay Fin, but tell me this… if Oswald did indeed act alone, how was he in different places as he was shooting Kennedy?"

"Oh come on already John, just shut up before I cap you in your white ass."

John Munch sighed and plopped down in his seat at his desk across from his partner, Odafin "Fin" Tutuola. He heard giggling from across the room and looked up to see Detectives Stabler and Olivia Benson laughing at him.

"Shut up, guys, Fin just forgot his morning coffee is all." Said Munch, feigning hurt.

This seemed to make the pair laugh harder, which caused Munch to look at Fin just in time to see him take a swing of coffee from a steaming mug.

"Aww, can it."

"What's wrong, Munch? Forget your morning coffee?" Elliot asked innocently, causing Fin and Olivia to snort with laughter and Munch throw a crumpled up paper ball across the room in a lame attempt to hit Elliot.

Captain Don Cragen came out then, dodging another ball of paper being sent across the room, this one from Elliot. He held up his hands in mock surrender and said, "Can we please stop acting like 2nd graders and get back to work? Munch your presence is needed in court today, dazzle 'em. Fin you need to finish typing up your DD5s. Stabler, Benson my office now, please."

Elliot and Olivia exchanged looks, shrugged and stood. When they entered their Captain's office, Cragen shut the door behind them and sat on the edge of his desk facing them with arms resting in his lap.

"New case, the higher ups want you two covering this case like nobody's business."

Elliot felt a smile tug at his face, as he glanced at Olivia who was smirking as their Captain continued on.

"Commissioner Morris's wife's friend was found raped and murdered in her home between eleven and twelve in the morning according to the ME's reports. Elliot, I want you to canvas the neighborhood, take a rookie with you. Olivia I want you to talk to friends and family who may know _why_ she was attacked. Okay?"

Elliot frowned, he hated rookies. Olivia laughed when she saw his face and playfully pushed him out of Dad's office, the nickname that everyone good-naturedly dubbed Don Cragen.

Elliot growled as he grabbed his leather jacket off the back of his chair and left the room in search for an available rookie, who was most likely lounging about the station with nothing better to do.

* * *

_Ms. Sutherland's Apartment Complex_

"Okay rookie, just tag along and don't say anything without my okay, alright?" Elliot asked the young officer who glared at Elliot with a determined smart-aleck look.

"Sir, yes, sir." He replied, giving Elliot a mock salute who gave the rookie an icy blue glare that could put out a fire.

Elliot knocked on the door next to the crime scene, the victim's neighbor.

"'Ello? Who are you, what do you want?" questioned an elderly woman who opened the door as far as the chain would let her, peering over big glasses to look questionably at the men.

"Ma'am, I'm Detective Stabler this here is Officer Caine, we're here because there was an attack next door and we were wondering if you heard anything between eleven and twelve this morning?"

"I heard shoutin' and gruntin' but that is all. Now leave me and Pookie be." She said slamming the door in their faces.

Elliot shook his head and glanced over at Caine who shrugged in mock confusion causing Elliot to snarl at him.

Elliot was about to tell him to move on to the next door when something caught his eye. He walked down the small hallway and peered around the corner to see a man in his early twenties trying to open his apartment door as fast as he could.

"Excuse me, sir! Can we ask you a few questions about an attack that took place down the hall?"

The man stopped and slowly turned, he had a few scratches on his face. Elliot looked over at Caine who advanced slowly towards the man.

"Sir, how did you get those scratches on your face?" asked Elliot, his right hand resting on his waist close to his gun.

"I gotta cat who doesn't like to be touched, why? Who got attacked?" asked the man, avoiding looking into their eyes.

"A Ms. Sutherland was attacked in her room this morning 'round eleven or twelve. Where were you?" asked Caine.

"I was in my bed, sleepin'."

"Can anyone vouch for that?" asked Elliot.

"Yeah…my cat, Chester. Wanna ask him questions too? I'd have to warn you though, he doesn't talk much." The man said, this time glaring at the men standing in front of him.

Caine snorted and advanced on the man.

"Mind taking a ride to our station and answering some more questions for us?"

"Yeah I do, back off man." Said the young man, backing away from Caine who was almost on top of him now. The young man suddenly pushed Caine hard, into Elliot and grabbed the gun from Caine's holster while running towards the stairs in one fluid motion.

Elliot shouted and pushed Caine off of him as he jumped up and chased the man down the stairs. He pulled his gun out and yelled at Caine, who was hobbling down the stairs, to call for back-up now.

"Freeze or I'll shoot!" shouted Elliot when the man was struggling to open the doors that led outside. The man turned and fired three times, as Elliot fired twice, before falling down the last two steps.

Caine finished calling it in, and ran to make sure the man was down. He checked his pulsed, felt none, and ran over to Elliot and pulled him into a sitting position. He was shouting, "Stabler? Stabler? Come on man, wake up! The bus is on its way, Stabler, it's all right."

Elliot made no sound, unconscious in the rookie's arms.

* * *

_Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland's Home_

"Excuse me? Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, I'm Detective Olivia Benson for Manhattan SVU." Said Olivia, flashing her badge and ID.

"Come on in, Detective Benson." Said Mrs. Sutherland, motioning with her hands.

Olivia nodded and entered the luxurious house. AS she surveyed everything in her surrounding area, as every cop does, she said, "I'm sorry for your loss, and I'd hate to make this any more traumatic for you than it is already."

"Thank you Detective Benson. Please have a seat."

Olivia sat and faced the couple who were holding each other on the sofa across from her.

"If it's okay, I'm going to ask you some questions and if you feel uncomfortable or upset please let me know and I can stop. Okay?"

They nodded and clung to each other tighter as Olivia started to ask them questions.

"So how old was Veronica?"

"She is, was, twenty-six. She just turned twenty-six." Answered Mr. Sutherland, a man in his mid forties.

"Do you know why anyone would to hurt her?"

"No! She was so sweet and caring… oh God-"Mrs. Sutherland started to sob.

Olivia was about to apologize and ask if she wanted to stop when her cell phone rang. She jumped and quickly said "excuse me" before exiting the room.

"Benson. What's up Cap? I'm talking- no he didn't call me… why what happened? He was what?! Why didn't you ca- what hospital? I'll meet you there in twenty minutes, see ya."

She put her cell in her pocket and said her goodbyes to the Sutherlands and rushed to her car down at the long driveway.

* * *

_Memorial Hospital_

"Detective Benson, I'm looking for Detective Elliot Stabler." Olivia stated, flashing her badge and ID.

A nurse nodded and responded with, "Mr. Stabler is in surgery right now. Please sign in and have a seat, I'll let you know when he's out."

Olivia nodded her thanks and plopped down in a plastic chair beside a young officer.

"You Benson?" asked the young officer.

"Yeah. Are you the rookie?"

"Yeah, Officer Caine." He extended her hand which she shook emotionless.

"What happened?"

"Perp shoved me into your partner, he fled, Stabler chased him and they had a little shootout."

"Where the hell were you?"

"I was limping down the stairs, calling for back-up."

Olivia nodded angrily, trying not to blame Caine.

"Where was he hit?"

"Perp fired three times, Stabler got two for three. One in his elbow; and one in his chest, towards his left shoulder. Stabler fired twice, both hit the perp in the chest, direct hits." Said Officer Caine, staring at the floor perhaps in shock.

Olivia shuddered, remembering the last time Elliot was shot was in his elbow too. She remembered him complaining about the cast for weeks.

"Why surgery? Did it knick anything?"

"The 2nd bullet nicked his muscle and split a tendon in his shoulder." He responded quietly as Cragen marched into the lobby in search of Olivia.

"Cap, over here."

He turned on his heel and marched over, trying to mask his anger from Caine and his fear from Olivia. Before he could ask anything, a nurse trotted over and informed them that Elliot was out of surgery.

"Surgery? How bad is it?" asked Cragen.

Caine sighed and repeated everything from the top. Cragen nodded and his face finally drained of color and was no longer beet red. He sat next to Olivia and apologized to her softly. She nodded and patted his knee before getting up for a drink.

Cragen let out a big breath while rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. He stood and followed Olivia.

Olivia rubbed her eyes, which were red from crying. She thought she was going to lose him, and what upset her more was that she wasn't there.

Cragen saw her rubbing her eyes while she sipped the coffee she bought, and noted the cup of coffee sitting next to her.

_They always buy each other coffee. One never buys one for themselves, they always buy two._ Thought Cragen as he watched her from where he was standing, hands in his pockets, head cocked as he contemplated what would have happened to Benson and the rest of his team if Elliot didn't make it.

He sighed again, and asked a nearby nurse if they could visit him.

"Oh yes! Mr. Stabler is such a nice man, I'm not supposed to let you guys see him but I can't say no to that blue-eyed gentleman. Even with bullet wounds he's a charmer."

Cragen chuckled and snapped at Olivia who jumped.

"We can see him now, Liv."

She dipped her head, and stood, not before downing her coffee and grabbing Elliot's.

* * *

_Memorial Hospital, Elliot Stabler's Room_

Elliot woke up with a groan, he froze when he looked around and everything came back to him, the talk, the chase, the shooting…

A very infantile nurse walked in and upped his painkillers as she glanced over, smiling.

"Hello, Mr. Stabler. Are you feeling well?"

He laughed and answered, "I feel like I've been shot."

She looked confused before she got it. She laughed for an eternity and playfully smiled at him again.

"I'm gonna go now. If you need anything do not hesitate to call, Mr. Stabler."

"Please, call me Elliot. And thanks, I'll be sure to." He winked.

She giggled and replied, "I love your eyes, I just wanted you to know that before I go Mr. Sta-Elliot."

Elliot smiled a big straight-toothed, shining white, shit eating grin while she practically danced away.

He sighed and laughed to himself. _Young people these days._ He thought.

A knock at his door caused him to jump and he smiled again, this time a true-genuine smile. His blue-eyes glittered and his heart fluttered when Olivia entered red-eyed.

"Liv, you weren't cryin' were you? Come on Liv, come here." He patted his bed and she sat down and he hugged her tightly.

Cragen coughed and shook Elliot's hand.

"Hey Dad, sorry I was shot. Hope dad's not mad…"

Cragen chuckled and playfully hit Elliot on his leg. Olivia even laughed, and pretty soon they were all laughing their troubles away.

After they got that out of their systems, Elliot coughed and asked, "How's the kid?"

Cragen shrugged and said, "Scared."

Elliot shook his head and said, "Not the rookie, the _guy_."

Cragen exhaled noisily and said, "He was DOA. Elliot, don't worry about it. We questioned family and friends and got DNA, the man did it. You got him."

Elliot nodded, absent mindly rubbed circles on Olivia's back as she regained her composure.

"Okay, Cap. So the rookie is scared huh? He oughta be because when I get my hands on him for being a smart ass to me _and_ for getting to close to the suspect…" Elliot stiffened with anger, blue eyes flashing.

"El, he's a kid. Cap and I will take care of it, right Cap?"

Cragen nodded and smiled softly.

"El, get some rest. Liv let's go, Lord knows he needs his beauty sleep." He said laughing from Elliot's pretend hurt look and left the room.

"Did you call Kathy?"

Elliot stiffened again.

"Elliot you need to call her."

"No I don't. A couple nights ago I was playing with her and the twins. After I put the twins to bed, she told me she was pregnant. I was happy until I remembered; we haven't made love in at least five months. I asked her how far along she was and she told me two months, wasn't I happy?" Elliot said tears threatening to fall from his beautiful blues; Olivia knew he wasn't going to let them fall until he was alone.

"But you've been in a good mood, usually you'd have been angry and pissed…"

"I was tired of taking out my anger on you and my friends, so I took it out on my locker and walls." He said, holding up his fists which were indeed covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises.

"I didn't know, I'm so sorry El. Why didn't you tell me? How did I not notice your hands?"

"It's cold out, I kept my hands in gloves or in my pockets and as for not tellin' you… why would I want to burden you with my problems?"

"We're partners-"

"I know. But partners or not, I'm not burdening you with my troubles… I care for you to much to do that."

Olivia cried again, and hugged Elliot who stroked her hair with eyes clenched shut.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

"Me too…" he replied quietly.

* * *

THE END


	2. Recovery

**Chapter 2**

_Stabler Residence_

After a brief battle with the doorknob, Elliot managed to open the door to his house. He carried his personal belongings in one arm, the other in a cast from a previous gunshot wound. Elliot sighed and counted to five, when he heard the shouts of joy from his kids he grinned and hugged them the best he could.

Dickie and Liz grabbed his legs and hugged them, as Kathleen kissed him on one cheek as Maureen kissed his other, each saying "Welcome home, Dad."

After everyone was settled, Maureen took his bag and set it on the kitchen table while Kathleen returned to her room. Dickie and Liz remained on their father's legs, daring the other one not to let go first. Elliot laughed and gently shook each one off. They pouted and ran off to play.

Maureen helped her father take off his coat, and she helped him relax on the couch as she pulled a kitchen over to face him.

"What's going on Dad? You and mom aren't talking, mom is upset… what is it?"

Elliot grimaced, and ran his free hand threw his cropped brown hair with his eyes squeezed shut. It felt fuzzy to his touch, and he snorted in disbelief. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see Maureen wiping a tear off his cheek.

As Elliot sat there, his eyes bright blue oceans, he held his daughter's hand and spoke softly.

"I think we're getting a divorce, Maureen," he rushed on before Maureen could interject, "she's pregnant… with another man. If you leave your siblings out of this, I'd appreciate it."

"Leave them out of this!? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean don't tell them yet till you mother and I talk, without a beeping monitor and nurses running around to interrupt us."

Maureen nodded and smiled sadly, as did Elliot. He kissed her forehead and asked for some privacy.

Maureen went upstairs to get everyone ready for bed. Protests can be heard from each child, with Maureen's scolding intertwined. Elliot listened to the chatter from downstairs, he laughed and a sob escaped his lips.

_Not now Elliot, wait till everyone is asleep._

After two hours of sitting on the couch, knowing everyone was asleep, Elliot stood and headed outside. He sat on the top step of his porch, one hand rubbing his forward harder and harder, then rubbing his eyes… until one sob after another escaped his between his lips. After a minute of holding it in, Elliot broke. He sat sobbing openly on the porch, scrubbing each tear from his face as soon as they fell with his right hand.

After a moment of silence, he heard a noise. Elliot looked up quickly and saw a shadow approaching him. He knew who it was immediately; he would know her bodies' outline anywhere… Olivia.

He didn't say anything as she sat next to him… even when she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder they both remained silent. They rested against each other, their breath mingling together in the air… breathing together… reading each others mind, and body language.

He sniffled, and blinked a few times before whispering, "Thanks."

He felt her nod, and didn't say anything when she placed a tender kiss on his cheek.

"Don't thank me, El. If it was me, I know you'd be here for me too."

"If you're ever in my position, Liv, I'd kill the son-of-a-bitch who put you in this terrible situation."

They both laughed, and when their laughing ceased they turned and faced each other, still leaning against one another.

"Thanks Liv."

"Don't thank me, Elliot."

Elliot grinned, gaining his composure. He grabbed her hands in his one and rubbed them softly.

"It's cold, come on in."

"What about the kids? It's one in the morning El."

"Don't worry 'bout them Liv."

After some hesitation Olivia asked, "Kathy?"

Elliot stiffened before answering, "Apparently not here."

She nodded and said no more. Elliot loved her for that.

He led her to the door and, being an old fashioned man, let her enter first.

He told her to sit as he made some instant coffee; he placed hers in front of her, holding his in his hand staring into space.

They sat there for an eternity, when Liv finally fell asleep on Elliot's couch, Elliot falling asleep on the kitchen chair, his upper body resting on the couch… their hands clasped together tightly.

Shouting woke Olivia, who bolted upright glancing around. She immediately choked on a laugh when she saw Elliot and Dickie sitting in the middle of the room putting makeup on Lizzie, some makeup on their face too.

"You look like a clown, El."

Elliot looked up and barked out a laugh.

"You're one to talk Liv."

Confused Olivia touched her face and pulled her fingers away to reveal makeup on her fingers.

"Lizzie did, Livia! Like it?" asked Dickie blushing.

Elliot laughed and picked Dickie up in his good arm, swinging him around the room as Lizzie clapped and Olivia continued to feel her face.

_The House_

After washing up and eating breakfast with the Stabler clan, Olivia and Elliot rode together to the precinct. When they entered Cragen immediately pointed to Stabler's desk, indicating desk duty. Olivia laughed and started to work on her files as Elliot lamely wrote out his.

"Damnit! I'm right handed, but I seem to need to hands to write." Elliot shouted, not really mad.

Fin laughed and stalked over, grabbing Elliot's pencil and tossing it to John Munch who caught it and put it behind his ear.

"Hey, thanks man. I tend to look smarter with a pencil behind my ear." Said John to Fin, who laughed and patted Elliot's good shoulder.

Olivia snorted with laughter, and Elliot sat stock still, his hand in the air with an invisible pencil in his hand. He allowed his hand to drop to his desk with a thud, glaring at Fin.

"Thanks Liv, encourage them to pick on innocent people. Innocent crippled people."

Liv snorted again and caught the pencil that Munch tossed to her. She played with it before tossing it to Fin who placed it behind his ear.

"Very mature guys." Said Elliot, as he stood.

"You're right Munch, I feel smarter." Said Fin before tossing the pencil towards Olivia.

The pencil was caught by Cragen who tried to look mad but ended up smiling and handing the pencil back to Elliot.

"Welcome back El!" shouted Liv, Munch, Fin and Cragen as another Detective threw a handful of confetti over his head.

Elliot sat there covered in confetti, his hand clench around his pencil, the other in a cast, his jaw set and blue eyes flashing.

Everyone laughed and Olivia snapped a picture.

"Ahhh, so pretty!" Elliot snatched the camera from her and threw it into his desk.

After everyone settled, Fin and John left for some coffee. Olivia watched Elliot write slowly.

He looked up and caught her eye. He smiled his big, bright-white, genuine smile. His eyes glittered and Olivia gasped, she swore they were twinkling. She hit him on his good shoulder with a paper ball.

He opened it up and smiled.

_Welcome back partner, _

_Liv :P_


End file.
